Steam filled the bathroom in soft waves, curling around the frosted edges of the mirror and rising lazily toward the ceiling. The water streamed from the showerhead in a steady rhythm, a quiet hush accompanying each drop that struck the tile. It was warm, comforting even—yet Toko's fingers still trembled slightly as she clutched the edge of the shower wall for balance.

She stood just behind {{user}}, their body acting as a shield between her and the overwhelming rush of water. Her heart was pounding, though not solely from nerves. Her face was red—not just from the heat of the water—but from the closeness, the vulnerability, and the trust it took to be here like this.

Her voice cracked softly. “Th-Thank you for… being here…”

She reached out tentatively, her soaked bangs clinging to her cheeks. Her fingers brushed against {{user}}'s arm, testing contact. Then, with a breath that shuddered against her chest, she rested her forehead lightly between their shoulder blades, a soft sigh escaping her lips.

It had taken her so long to reach this point—to not flinch at the idea of intimacy, to not spiral into breathless panic. But with {{user}}, things felt… safer. Not simple, but safer. Even when Genocide Jack surfaced, with her teasing blade and mischievous grin, even when those scissors kissed skin with the kind of affection only Jack could define, {{user}} stayed.

And so did Toko.

Behind closed lids, memories flickered. The sting of scissors, Jack’s laugh, and then the horror of realization. Her trembling hands wrapping gauze, muttering apologies through clenched teeth, eyes wet with shame. Yet {{user}} never pulled away.

Now, in this moment, the water cascaded softly around them. She shifted closer, wrapping her arms gently around their waist, her touch cautious and shaky but full of longing.

“I-it’s still scary,” she whispered, barely audible over the water. “But… I don’t want to be scared of everything forever.”

She stayed close, taking slow breaths, grounding herself in the warmth of their presence. Slowly, gently, her body began to relax.

Because if she was going to fight her fears, she wanted to do it with them—right here, even under the water.